


little april shower (beautiful sound).

by inferiority



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: First Kiss, Friends to Lovers, Implied Sexual Content, JUST LOADS OF FLUFF, M/M, Making Out, Strangers to Friends, harry has a deer, louis works at petco, the deer fic, wow fun stuff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-27
Updated: 2015-10-27
Packaged: 2018-04-28 12:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5090786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inferiority/pseuds/inferiority
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The thing is, Harry’s a pretty soft and cuddly guy. He’s very much still a little boy who needs affection, so when he got Bambi, they immediately became cuddle buddies. The best of buds.</p><p>(The one where Harry has a pet deer who gets sick and takes her to Petco, even though they can't help, and meets Louis, the guy who cleans the cages.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	little april shower (beautiful sound).

**Author's Note:**

> Filling this prompt: @WORLDLWT on Twitter: “AU where Harry has a pet deer and Louis works at Petco and Harry asks him for help.”
> 
> Title from "Little April Shower" from Disney's "Bambi".
> 
> You can find me on Twitter @writerlxrry.

**little april shower (beautiful sound).**

The baby deer was a gift from his sister. She had found the tiny fucking thing roaming around the park, and decided it would make a nice graduation gift for her dear brother. Harry named her Bambi, for obvious reasons.

The little fawn is the sweetest thing Harry’s ever seen, and he couldn’t help but cry a little when Gemma presented her to him.

“Oh my god,” he had said, his lower lip trembling. “She’s so precious, Gem.”

Gemma had laughed and called him a pansy but he paid no mind because he now had a baby _deer_ that needed tending to and oh god what did baby deer even eat?

Turns out they can be bottle fed goat milk. _Bottle fed_. So three times a day Harry was bottle feeding Bambi like she was a baby, and, well, she kind of _was_ like a baby. She was gentle and clumsy on her feet and very soft and delicate, and Harry had never been more in love.

The thing is, Harry’s a pretty soft and cuddly guy. He’s very much still a little boy who needs affection, so when he got Bambi, they immediately became cuddle buddies. The best of buds.

_x_

Harry’s had the fawn for a good three months when something happens. Bambi refuses to drink her goat milk, and makes little whimpering noises whenever Harry tries to pick her up.

Harry all at once thinks of the worst. _She’s dying,_ he thinks. _I killed her._

He immediately wraps his little girl up in a fluffy yellow blanket, ignoring her whimpered protests, and carries her down to his car. He places the small fawn in the passenger seat, and right away she bows her head down, laying it on her front legs, all curled up on the seat. Harry frowns and his lip trembles a little as he sees how unwell she is.

He drives fast but careful, avoiding any bumps or potholes along the way, as to not jostle the little bundle of blankets. He doesn’t really know where to take her, because there’s no animal hospital nearby, so he settles for Petco.

He pushes the door to the store open, cradling his girl in his arms, and is hit with the various smells of the shop, like running into a wall. He’s met with the screeching of birds and meows and a few barks…and also a very handsome man standing at the till.

“I need help!” He blurts. The man looks at him, startled. He’s got wide blue eyes and a fluffy fringe. “My deer…she’s not well.”

“Your _deer?”_ The guys says. His voice is high and light. Makes Harry kind of dizzy for a moment. “Not sure deer are allowed in here, pal.”

“But she’s my pet. And this is a pet store, no?”

“Well, yeah, but—“

“So please help my baby deer. She’s not well,” Harry repeats. He holds out the fawn and she makes a disgruntled noise in the back of her throat.

The guy looks at the deer, his eyes wide with amazement. They’re a really nice blue color. He’s quite a bit shorter than Harry, maybe coming up to his chin. “I don’t know how…I’m not…”

Harry gives him a pleading look. “Please…I don’t know where else to go.”

“There’s a pet hospital an hour and a half from here,” the guy points out.

“What if she’s dying? And I get there too late? You must have _some_ training…” Harry turns frantic. Bambi’s head is lolling down, like she can’t support it on her own. He places his hand on her neck and holds her head up for her. “She’s so weak…”

“I only clean the cages, man. I can call my manager. She was a vet assistant for a while, I think.” The guy picks up the phone and waves it around, as a question.

“Yes, yes,” Harry spits out quickly. “Please.”

The boy moves from behind the counter and heads to the back of the shop, to use the phone, Harry presumes.

When he returns, he steps up in front of Harry and peers down at the small bundle tucked against Harry’s chest.

“What’s her name?” He says.

“Bambi,” Harry admits, bashful.

The boy laughs, loud and unashamed. It makes Harry smile.

“Appropriate,” he says. “And yours?”

“Harry,” Harry says.

The boys tells him his name is Louis and his manager is on the way, and Harry’s stomach settles a bit at that.

The boys sit in silence for a few minutes before it’s broken by Louis’ voice. “So, where’d you get a fucking deer?”

Harry laughs, his rumbling chest causing Bambi to make a small squawk. Harry whispers a ‘sorry’ and looks up towards Louis. “My sister got her for me. She found her wandering in the park.”

“Don’t you think that Bambi has a mother who’s looking for her?”

Harry bites his lip. “We thought of that, but doe don’t usually let their young wander off too far, so we think she was abandoned somehow, or lost.”

Louis frowns. “Aw.”

“Yeah.”

Harry sees Louis hesitate for a moment before asking: “Can I—can I touch her?”

Harry sends the shorter boy a soft smile. “Yeah…I don’t know how she’ll react since she’s unwell. Just stroke her on the back or neck.”

Louis slowly reaches his hand out towards the small fawn sleeping against Harry’s chest and touches the fur on her back. He lets out a ‘wow’ and strokes his hand towards Bambi’s tail.

“She’s really soft.”

“Yeah,” Harry replies. Both boys are quiet during the interaction, as not to disturb the fatigued fawn. “You can try scratching her on the neck. She loves that.”

Louis does as suggested, scratching Bambi right behind her ears, and she lets out a weak chirping sound. Harry finds it odd, because it usually takes Bambi a few weeks to warm up to strangers.

“She’s precious,” Louis says, a big smile stretching across his face. “I hope she’s not too sick.”

Harry lets out a breath. “I’m worried.”

“She’ll be fine.”

She’ll be fine.

_x_

Louis’ manager, Meg, gets to the store fifteen minutes later. In those fifteen minutes Harry had laid Bambi down onto a dog bed on one of the shelves, and sat down on the ground next to her so he could stroke her back.

The poor fawn’s making hiccup-like noises, whimpering with her face hidden. It breaks Harry’s heart.

Louis’ waiting by the door when Meg enters and he immediately leads her to Harry and the deer. Meg has light hair, tied in a messy ponytail, and can’t be older than thirty. She’s wearing ripped black jeans and a plain white v-neck, obviously not prepared for work.

“I came as fast as I could.” She holds a hand out to Harry.

“Harry,” he says, shaking it. “This is Bambi. I don’t know what’s wrong with her.”

“I went to school to be a vet for a few years,” Meg replies. “I’m a little out of practice…”

For some reason, this is what makes Harry release the tears that he’s been holding back all day.

“Please,” he whispers, his eyes wet.

“Okay, Harry.” Louis steps in, face contorted with worry. “Let’s give Meg and Bambi some space. Come and sit with me.”

Harry hesitates but follows anyway. Louis leads him with a hand on his back, as the taller boy wipes his eyes with his sleeve.

Louis sits him down and pulls up another chair to sit next to him. He grabs a box of tissues and hands it over, then wipes his hands on his jeans.

It’s silent for a moment, Harry wiping his eyes and sniffling, when Louis says: “You know, this is the most action Petco’s had for a very, very long time.”

Harry laughs wetly and turns towards Louis. “I probably look like a maniac.”

“Hey, no,” Louis answers. “I would act the same if my dog was as sick as Bambi.”

Harry lets out a shaky breath. His stomach feels sick with worry. He can see Meg’s back from his position, but she’s blocking his baby.

“What do you think’s wrong with her?”

“I have no idea,” Harry admits. “She hasn’t eaten anything weird…we haven’t been anywhere strange. I have no idea.”

“Maybe she just picked something up,” Louis suggests.

Harry looks at Louis again. His eyes are really blue, he notices once again. “Yeah,” he whispers.

_x_

Lyme disease. Harry’s little girl has Lyme disease. A tick must have latched onto her while they were out.

And it explains everything. It does.

It explains the head lolling, the droopy eyes, the constant sleeping and never eating. It breaks Harry’s heart, because even though it’s a curable sickness, it takes _months_.

He can’t stand seeing Bambi like this for months.

Meg had her suspicions, so she advised Harry to make the drive down to the animal hospital in the next town over to confirm said suspicion.

Sure enough, she was right, and the veterinarian prescribed antibiotics for Bambi to take three times a day, which Harry could already tell was going to be a nightmare.

Harry brings Bambi home and lays her down onto the dog bed he’d bought her and just. Lets her rest.

He pulls his phone out and texts Louis, who’d given him his number when he’d left Petco, making him promise to text when he’d gotten home and to tell him how Bambi was doing.

Harry sends the text and…doesn’t really know what to do with himself.

He usually gets home and cuddles Bambi for a bit, then makes dinner, but it’s only half past four and he finished all his coursework last night.

Harry pulls a beer from the fridge and decides, last minute, to go to Petco again. Why? He doesn’t really have a clue. So he locks up his flat, making sure Bambi is still asleep and her food and water is topped up.

He knows the place closes at three so he brings a piece of paper and a sharpie with him.

Harry pulls into the Petco lot and stumbles from his car, then uses the window of the dark shop as a flat surface to write on.

He writes: _Thanks for everything, Meg and Lou. I really, really appreciate your help. And Louis, maybe we could grab a coffee sometime? xH_

He signs it off with a smiley face and tapes the paper right onto the door, so someone will be sure to see it tomorrow morning.

_x_

The coffee date goes as follows: Harry arrives before Louis does, orders a chai tea latte, grabs a booth for the two of them, checks his hair at least four times (using the reflection from his spoon), waits for five minutes. Then Louis arrives, orders a tea (with milk), asks Harry how Bambi is doing (pretty good), and the two talk until the shop closes.

They then proceed to run to McDonalds.

And Louis’ just. Great. He’s loud and funny and he’s sensitive and he seems like he really cares about what Harry’s saying.

Louis makes Harry’s tummy flutter and his brain turn to mush.

They both order Big Macs and eat in the alley behind the place, laughing over Louis’ stories from working in Petco.

(The night ends with Louis pressing Harry up against his complex’s brick wall and kissing the shit out of him.)

_x_

Bambi’s pretty much back to normal after two months of antibiotics and excessive sleeping. She’s also gotten used to Louis being in the flat most days of the week.

Harry really likes Louis. Almost an unhealthy amount. The problem is, they’ve been acting more as best friends than actual boyfriends.

And they weren’t yet—boyfriends, that is. Neither had asked, and nothing had progressed after that one kiss. And Harry’s kind of dying because of it.

All he wants is to push Louis up against the wall and kiss him until his lips turn numb, but Louis seems to want nothing other than a solid friendship. Harry does believe that people have to be best friends before they can get into a relationship, but in this case…

Once again, Harry just wants to kiss him, so one day, while Louis is over playing the newest Call of Duty with Bambi sitting at his feet, Harry quite literally pulls Louis into his lap and kisses him.

Louis kisses like he talks. It’s spontaneous and adventurous and he doesn’t hold back. He tangles his hands into Harry’s curls and squeezes his thighs around Harry’s hips while he maps the taller boy’s mouth with his tongue.

Harry’s hands land on Louis’ waist and his neck is craned up to meet Louis’ mouth and their chests are pressed together and it’s the highlight of Harry’s week.

Harry pulls away once he’s out of breath and the two just take a minute to look at each other. Louis’ eyes are blown out and his cheeks are rosy, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Harry takes the plunge. “Do you wanna…”

Louis gets the gist and quickly nods his head. “Yes, please.”

Harry stands from the couch, Louis clutching onto him like a koala and carries him to the bedroom, Bambi eagerly following.

“I’m sorry darling, but you have to stay out here for now,” Harry says gently. The fawn makes a soft noise in the back of her throat, almost like she understands. He softly closes the door to the bedroom and lays Louis onto the bed, then climbs on top of him.

“Kiss me again,” Louis whispers, pulling Harry down with a hand on either side of his face. Their lips stay connected as Harry’s hands move downwards, over Louis’ chest, his tummy, then come to rest on his hipbones, playing with the waist of the smaller boy’s jeans.

“Take them off,” Louis says against Harry’s lips. Harry sits up, bringing Louis with him, and tugs his own shirt off. Then he pulls Louis’ off and attaches his mouth to the other boy’s collarbone, sucking an angry bruise into the skin.

Eventually his hands find their way to the button and zipper on Louis’ jeans, which Harry is quick to undo.

“Off, off, off, off,” Louis mumbles as Harry struggles to pull the tight material down his legs.

“I’m trying,” Harry giggles, finally pulling the denim off of Louis’ ankles. He quickly does the same with his own jeans and crawls back on top of the smaller boy. “Hey.”

Louis smiles. “Hey. Kiss me please.”

And how can Harry possibly say no to that?”

(They have sex. It’s fast yet romantic and afterwards they fall asleep together and Louis insists on being the big spoon.)

_x_

Once Bambi approves, Harry knows.

When Niall and Zayn and Liam first came over after Harry got the deer, she refused to trust them for weeks.

With Louis, she immediately clambered onto his lap and fell asleep after only a week.

Maybe it was the Lyme disease, and how Louis helped take care of her during her rough patch. But it was still something, because the fastest Bambi had warmed up to someone was a solid two weeks, which was Harry himself.

So yeah, Harry knows.

_x_

It’s been a thing for a few months when Louis finally asks him. He takes him on a nice dinner and it’s during dessert that he does it.

Harry’s just taken a giant spoonful of chocolate mousse when Louis asks: “How would you feel about being my boyfriend?”

Harry half chokes half laughs. Either way, chocolate sprays all over the table and they both end up laughing.

“Well that depends,” Harry says matter-of-factly after they’ve calmed themselves down.

“Depends on what?” Louis replies, grinning.

“Are you up to being the co-owner of a six month old baby deer?”

“Harry…I take care of her more than you do!”

“Yeah, I suppose that’s true. Alright then, I’ll be your boyfriend.”

Louis almost tips over their wine glasses trying to lean over the table to kiss Harry, which sends them into another fit of laughter.

It’s really good.

_x_

(Three years later, and a full grown Bambi is their ring bearer at their wedding.)

(I shit you not.)


End file.
